The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-10

AON AVuHu HI " SciI HI Iu uHtOHi- fortable position, owing to the ex- ceeding rigidity of the body 1 could scarcely move. attempted to smile at the utterly meaningless stare which the two, who were still entwined in each others arms, emptied out of their eyes upon me; but l found that inn possible ffota the iiiieAibiiity ot th1 muscles of the face.
 1 summoned all the power at my command and leaped bodily aud stiff- limbed from the boards. Then with extreme difficulty 1 stalked rather than walked across the room and stood before the silent pair, and lowing low stitily and not without considera- ble trouble, managed to say in a guttural but audible voice, "Pardou me, friends, I am not unwell, do not desire your company" then Stalked over to where 1 saw mirror super stitiously daped with gauge. and iilnging that back ,ooke,i ill. And may my eyes be burnt blind with hell fire before l see such another sight. Such another sight, ah, God
 There, lifelessly, with hideous. lank horror, stared the cadaveric, blank tace of the corpse, with eyes wide open the mouth gaping, and upon and over all the hopeless madison of the pallor of the dead And the eyes were mine. Unable to bear the unspeaka- ble horror of the sight. uttered a yell and fled joltingly out of the room. heard an answering scream from an adjoining apartment and q rush of hurried, frightened feet.
 The young man upon the sofa, without moving muscle of his drawn-stitt face, said
 Well, well, well, must -ay am .appy"
 The girl burst into loud. harsh laugh. but neither moved. When reached the door 1 sprang down the steps, and as the body struck the ground, l began to realize that l was i in truth bearing about a corpse and the whole unutterable horror of the situation rushed upon me.
 l stopped, and by q mighty effort of my will, thought, consciousness and all else about me capable of making an effort, attempted to pass out of the body as l had entered, but to my stifling despair found it impossible i Clasped grimly ill the hesh-hold oi that corpse-cotiin, l grappled the hands together and yelled. caught i the hair of the corpse with the corpse, hands and pluckcd it out and left great bare places over which tn, fingers slipped when l grasped again
 Il heard screams. and looking, saw 1 two or three persons emerge from tho door through which l came. and rur toward me 1 determined to throttl, i the first who reached me. Then, just at that instant, I felt that relentless power seize me, and with a choking sickening sensation through all my being, the sword of darkness smot, me, and 1 awakened in my library with the eyes of Morell fixed upol me It was now just fifteen minutes of eight o'clock. 1 recounted my ad. venture, during which Morell alter nately shuddered and smiled. IIt uttered no comment, but did not ap- pear pleased.
 The next day, in accordance with the wish of Morell, resolved tc trance the distances and view that oI which to all my questioning l re- ceivcd no answer save You may SCI and know for yourself if you will Thc scpu!chra! secrets tha. lay lik, dead things entombed, behind the cer- ement like veil and blaze of brillianet that cinctures and girds about the hopeless and hideous mansion of in, moon.
 50 that morning, MorelI, having swallowed large amount of wine az stimulant for the long, lone vigil Inc intended to keep, we seated ourselves in readiness, and Morell said, II will hold you in the sleep si,: hours, dur ing which time there be things unseen to sec" The tone in which he said this caused me to shudder, and would have spoken, but without say ing any other word, he laid his hand and the glory of his look upon me and again I stood forth, of earth and my body free; and passed through the open gothic window and outside, rose, just as incense or flame might rise, and bringing together all the temper and strength of my will, felt a keen, delicious draft of cold, quick air, gleam and glory of light about and around me, and ere 1 was aware found myself upon barren solid substance like that of the earth, save tat there grew thereon no herb or tree, and there moved thereon no liv- ing thing. Although it spread away like plain of the world, only covered here and there with huge tomb shaped mountains, still it seemed the con- vexity appeared visible to the sight which certainly extended further by far than through the denser atmos-